Ten Years Ago (On A Cold Dark Night)

One decade ago today, we (that is, I) published our (that is, my) first post. Ensuing entries have not arrived all that often, violating rule #1 of blogging, Keep ‘Em Coming. They’ve been freewheeling in the extreme, violating rule #2 of blogging, Stay In Your Lane. And they’ve varied in length and intention, violating rule #3, Keep It Simple, Stupid.

All that’s why this site is still nothing more than a little club for likeminded ponderers with no particular rules or requirements, even after having been “Freshly Pressed” (that’s a good thing) twice by our host, WordPress. Recently I began working on another blog for a different group of people and I’m trying my best, on their behalf, to observe all those pragmatic rules. It’s true: they really do have a salutary effect on activity. But the very personal legato dreamland right here is where I prefer to play. Though I really do want you to enjoy visiting my blog, frankly I’m doing this more for myself than for you. This exercise helps me remember exactly how I felt at the moment I was writing. Better even than a photo. This blog is a fantastic gonzo diary, especially since I strain to make every word in every post as true as my skill will allow. It really pays off when you re-read years later. Trust me.

My posts are erratically timed, sure. I only put one up whenever I feel like it. But then, I’ve managed to accumulate almost 300 of them — because I’ve never missed posting in any single calendar month over the last ten years. So that’s sort of a schedule, isn’t it? It’s an inner one that forces me to the keyboard, and for me, the starting is the hardest part. (RIP, Tom Petty.)

I was ten years younger when I began this, yet I’m still happily tapping the keys. Maybe I’ll still be doing that ten years hence; I sure hope so. I wonder what sort of culture we’ll have become by then. Hopefully not Eloi. Just kidding. No, I’m not.

Meanwhile, amidst all the pomp and celebration, I’d like to state for the record what should be obvious, but never gets articulated frequently enough:

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6 Responses to Ten Years Ago (On A Cold Dark Night)

Congrats! Quite the milestone. I think I stumbled across your blog in 2011 or 2012 and have been reading the entire time. I might never show up on your stats as I read them all in my inbox, but I’ve enjoyed them tremendously. Thank you.